Bold rather than salami-slicing is needed for defence cuts

Share via

This is salami-slicing on the grandest of scales: already it has been decided that there are too many generals, admirals and air marshals, ships, tanks, aircraft and helicopters. The current review should be called strategic defence cuts.

The trouble with drawing up lists of manpower and equipment that you no longer want is that, without an overall vision of how Britain’s Armed Forces should look in 15 years and what role they are to play on the world’s stage, the outcome of this defence review will be all about saving money. Slashing the defence budget by 25 per cent is